IFRS for SMEs — U.S. GAAP Comparison Wiki

Basic Financial Instruments

Note: The IASB is currently reconsidering IAS 39 in its entirety and concluded that SMEs should have the same accounting policy options as in IAS 39 pending completion of the comprehensive IAS 39 project.

SME Par.IFRS SMEU.S. GAAP
  Financial instruments are considered either “basic” or other.  
Scope of this section
11.1 Section 11 Basic Financial Instruments and Section 12 Other Financial Instruments Issues together deal with recognising, derecognising, measuring and disclosing financial instruments (financial assets and financial liabilities). Section 11applies to basic financial instruments and is relevant to all entities. Section 12applies to other, more complex financial instruments and transactions. If anentity enters into only basic financial instrument transactions then Section 12 isnot applicable. However, even entities with only basic financial instruments shallconsider the scope of Section 12 to ensure they are exempt.  
Accounting policy choice
11.2 An entity shall choose to apply either:
  1. the provisions of both Section 11 and Section 12 in full, or
  2. the recognition and measurement provisions of IAS 39 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement and the disclosure requirements of Sections 11 and 12
to account for all of its financial instruments. An entity’s choice of (a) or (b) is an accounting policy choice. Paragraphs 10.8–10.14 contain requirements for determining when a change in accounting policy is appropriate, how such a change should be accounted for, and what information should be disclosed about the change.
This document does not address differences between IAS 39 and U.S. GAAP.
Introduction to Section 11
11.3 A financial instrument is a contract that gives rise to a financial asset of one entity and a financial liability or equity instrument of another entity.  
11.4 Section 11 requires an amortised cost model for all basic financial instruments except for investments in non-convertible and non-puttable preference shares and non-puttable ordinary shares that are publicly traded or whose fair value can otherwise be measured reliably. See Section 11.14-11.20
11.5 Basic financial instruments within the scope of Section 11 are those that satisfy the conditions in paragraph 11.8. Examples of financial instruments that normally satisfy those conditions include:
  1. cash.
  2. demand and fixed-term deposits when the entity is the depositor, eg bank accounts.
  3. commercial paper and commercial bills held.
  4. accounts, notes and loans receivable and payable.
  5. bonds and similar debt instruments.
  6. investments in non-convertible preference shares and non-puttable ordinary and preference shares.
  7. commitments to receive a loan if the commitment cannot be net settled in cash.
U.S. GAAP does not distinguish basic financial instruments from other financial instruments.
11.6 Examples of financial instruments that do not normally satisfy the conditions in paragraph 11.8, and are therefore within the scope of Section 12, include:
  1. asset-backed securities, such as collateralised mortgage obligations, repurchase agreements and securitised packages of receivables.
  2. options, rights, warrants, futures contracts, forward contracts and interest rate swaps that can be settled in cash or by exchanging another financial instrument.
  3. financial instruments that qualify and are designated as hedging instruments in accordance with the requirements in Section 12.
  4. commitments to make a loan to another entity.
  5. commitments to receive a loan if the commitment can be net settled in cash.
U.S. GAAP does not distinguish basic financial instruments from other financial instruments.
Scope of Section 11
11.7 Section 11 applies to all financial instruments meeting the conditions of paragraph 11.8 except for the following:
  1. investments in subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures that are accounted for in accordance with Section 9 Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements, Section 14 Investments in Associates or Section 15 Investments in Joint Ventures.
  2. financial instruments that meet the definition of an entity’s own equity (see Section 22 Liabilities and Equity and Section 26 Share-based Payment).
  3. leases, to which Section 20 Leases applies. However, the derecognition requirements in paragraphs 11.33–11.38 apply to derecognition of lease receivables recognised by a lessor and lease payables recognised by a lessee. Also, Section 12 may apply to leases with characteristics specified in paragraph 12.3(f).
  4. employers’ rights and obligations under employee benefit plans, to which Section 28 Employee Benefits applies.
 
Basic financial instruments
11.8 An entity shall account for the following financial instruments as basic financial instruments in accordance with Section 11:
  1. cash.
  2. a debt instrument (such as an account, note, or loan receivable or payable) that meets the conditions in paragraph 11.9.
  3. a commitment to receive a loan that:
    1. cannot be settled net in cash, and
    2. when the commitment is executed, is expected to meet the conditions in paragraph 11.9.
  4. an investment in non-convertible preference shares and non-puttable ordinary shares or preference shares.
 
11.9 A debt instrument that satisfies all of the conditions in (a)–(d) below shall be accounted for in accordance with Section 11:
  1. Returns to the holder are
    1. a fixed amount;
    2. a fixed rate of return over the life of the instrument;
    3. a variable return that, throughout the life of the instrument, is equal to a single referenced quoted or observable interest rate (such as LIBOR); or
    4. some combination of such fixed rate and variable rates (such as LIBOR plus 200 basis points), provided that both the fixed and variable rates are positive (eg an interest rate swap with a positive fixed rate and negative variable rate would not meet this criterion). For fixed and variable rate interest returns, interest is calculated by multiplying the rate for the applicable period by the principal amount outstanding during the period.
  2. There is no contractual provision that could, by its terms, result in the holder losing the principal amount or any interest attributable to the current period or prior periods. The fact that a debt instrument is subordinated to other debt instruments is not an example of such a contractual provision.
  3. Contractual provisions that permit the issuer (the debtor) to prepay a debt instrument or permit the holder (the creditor) to put it back to the issuer before maturity are not contingent on future events.
  4. There are no conditional returns or repayment provisions except for the variable rate return described in (a) and prepayment provisions described in (c).
 
11.10 Examples of financial instruments that would normally satisfy the conditions in paragraph 11.9 are:
  1. trade accounts and notes receivable and payable, and loans from banks or other third parties.
  2. accounts payable in a foreign currency. However, any change in the account payable because of a change in the exchange rate is recognised in profit or loss as required by paragraph 30.10.
  3. loans to or from subsidiaries or associates that are due on demand.
  4. a debt instrument that would become immediately receivable if the issuer defaults on an interest or principal payment (such a provision does not violate the conditions in paragraph 11.9).
 
11.11 Examples of financial instruments that do not satisfy the conditions in paragraph 11.9 (and are therefore within the scope of Section 12) include:
  1. an investment in another entity’s equity instruments other than non-convertible preference shares and non-puttable ordinary and preference shares (see paragraph 11.8(d)).
  2. an interest rate swap that returns a cash flow that is positive or negative, or a forward commitment to purchase a commodity or financial instrument that is capable of being cash-settled and that, on settlement, could have positive or negative cash flow, because such swaps and forwards do not meet the condition in paragraph 11.9(a).
  3. options and forward contracts, because returns to the holder are not fixed and the condition in paragraph 11.9(a) is not met.
  4. investments in convertible debt, because the return to the holder can vary with the price of the issuer’s equity shares rather than just with market interest rates.
  5. a loan receivable from a third party that gives the third party the right or obligation to prepay if the applicable taxation or accounting requirements change, because such a loan does not meet the condition in paragraph 11.9(c).
 
Initial recognition of financial assets and liabilities
11.12 An entity shall recognise a financial asset or a financial liability only when the entity becomes a party to the contractual provisions of the instrument. Same.
Initial measurement
11.13 When a financial asset or financial liability is recognised initially, an entity shall measure it at the transaction price (including transaction costs except in the initial measurement of financial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value through profit or loss) unless the arrangement constitutes, in effect, a financing transaction. A financing transaction may take place in connection with the sale of goods or services, for example, if payment is deferred beyond normal business terms or is financed at a rate of interest that is not a market rate. If the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, the entity shall measure the financial asset or financial liability at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument. Like IFRS SMEs, financial instruments other than derivatives and securities classified as available-for-sale or trading are measured initially at cost. Securities classified as trading or available-for-sale and instruments for which the fair value option through P&L has been elected are measured initially at fair value.

Unlike IFRS SMEs, debt issue costs are generally deferred and amortized over the life of the debt.
 Examples – financial assets
 
  1. For a long-term loan made to another entity, a receivable is recognised at the present value of cash receivable (including interest payments and repayment of principal) from that entity.
  2. For goods sold to a customer on short-term credit, a receivable is recognised at the undiscounted amount of cash receivable from that entity, which is normally the invoice price.
  3. For an item sold to a customer on two-year interest-free credit, a receivable is recognised at the current cash sale price for that item. If the current cash sale price is not known, it may be estimated as the present value of the cash receivable discounted using the prevailing market rate(s) of interest for a similar receivable.
  4. For a cash purchase of another entity’s ordinary shares, the investment is recognised at the amount of cash paid to acquire the shares.
  1. Same.
  2. Same.
  3. Same.
  4. Same.
 Examples – financial liabilities
 
  1. For a loan received from a bank, a payable is recognised initially at the present value of cash payable to the bank (eg including interest payments and repayment of principal).
  2. For goods purchased from a supplier on short-term credit, a payable is recognised at the undiscounted amount owed to the supplier, which is normally the invoice price.
  1. Same.
  2. Same.
Subsequent measurement
11.14 At the end of each reporting period, an entity shall measure financial instruments as follows, without any deduction for transaction costs the entity may incur on sale or other disposal:  
11.14(a) Debt instruments that meet the conditions in paragraph 11.8(b) shall be measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Paragraphs 11.15–11.20 provide guidance on determining amortised cost using the effective interest method. Loans not held for sale and long-term receivables are measured at amortized cost using the effective interest method.

However, unlike IFRS SMEs:
  • Loans classified as held-for-sale are measured at the lower or cost and market.
  • Debt securities that are classified as trading or available-for-sale are reported at fair value.
  • There are differences in the application of the effective interest method (see below).
  • There is an option to measure most financial assets and liabilities at fair value.
11.14(a) Debt instruments that are classified as current assets or current liabilities shall be measured at the undiscounted amount of the cash or other consideration expected to be paid or received (ie net of impairment—see paragraphs 11.21–11.26) unless the arrangement constitutes, in effect, a financing transaction (see paragraph 11.13).
Some short-term receivables and payables, for example trade receivables and payables, are measured at the undiscounted amount expected to be received or paid (i.e., net of impairment). Apparently unlike IFRS SMEs, other short-term receivables and payables, e.g., receivables and payables that were considered long-term at their inception, are measured at amortized cost.
11.14(a) If the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, the entity shall measure the debt instrument at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest for a similar debt instrument. Same.
11.14(b) Commitments to receive a loan that meet the conditions in paragraph 11.8(c) shall be measured at cost (which sometimes is nil) less impairment.  
11.14(c) Investments in non-convertible preference shares and non-puttable ordinary or preference shares that meet the conditions in paragraph 11.8(d) shall be measured as follows (paragraphs 11.27–11.33 provide guidance on fair value):
  1. if the shares are publicly traded or their fair value can otherwise be measured reliably, the investment shall be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognised in profit or loss.
  2. all other such investments shall be measured at cost less impairment.
Impairment or uncollectibility must be assessed for financial instruments in (a), (b) and (c)(ii) above. Paragraphs 11.21–11.26 provide guidance.
Unlike IFRS SMEs. all passive investments in nonmarketable equity securities are accounted for under the cost method (except in certain specialized industries)

Investments in nonconvertible preference shares and nonputtable ordinary shares and preference shares are classified into one of two categories: available-for-sale or trading. Trading securities are reported at fair value through P&L; available-for-sale securities are reported at fair value, generally through other comprehensive income (OCI).

Unlike IFRS SMEs, cost is reduced by dividends received in excess of earnings subsequent to the date of investment.
 Amortised cost and effective interest method
11.15 The amortised cost of a financial asset or financial liability at each reporting date is the net of the following amounts:
  1. the amount at which the financial asset or financial liability is measured at initial recognition,
  2. minus any repayments of the principal,
  3. plus or minus the cumulative amortisation using the effective interest method of any difference between the amount at initial recognition and the maturity amount,
  4. minus, in the case of a financial asset, any reduction (directly or through the use of an allowance account) for impairment or uncollectibility.
Financial assets and financial liabilities that have no stated interest rate and are classified as current assets or current liabilities are initially measured at an undiscounted amount in accordance with paragraph 11.14(a). Therefore, (c) above does not apply to them.
 
11.16 The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a financial asset or a financial liability (or a group of financial assets or financial liabilities) and of allocating the interest income or interest expense over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash payments or receipts through the expected life of the financial instrument or, when appropriate, a shorter period, to the carrying amount of the financial asset or financial liability. The effective interest rate is determined on the basis of the carrying amount of the financial asset or liability at initial recognition. Under the effective interest method:
  1. the amortised cost of a financial asset (liability) is the present value of future cash receipts (payments) discounted at the effective interest rate, and
  2. the interest expense (income) in a period equals the carrying amount of the financial liability (asset) at the beginning of a period multiplied by the effective interest rate for the period.
Unlike IFRS SMEs, the calculation of the effective interest rate is generally based on contractual cash flows over the financial instrument’s contractual life. For some financial instruments (e.g., loans), however, if estimated cash flows differ from contractual cash flows, the effective interest rate is based on expected rather than contractual cash flows, like IFRS SMEs.
11.17 When calculating the effective interest rate, an entity shall estimate cash flows considering all contractual terms of the financial instrument (eg prepayment, call and similar options) and known credit losses that have been incurred, but it shall not consider possible future credit losses not yet incurred.  
11.18 When calculating the effective interest rate, an entity shall amortise any related fees, finance charges paid or received (such as ‘points’), transaction costs and other premiums or discounts over the expected life of the instrument, except as follows. The entity shall use a shorter period if that is the period to which the fees, finance charges paid or received, transaction costs, premiums or discounts relate. This will be the case when the variable to which the fees, finance charges paid or received, transaction costs, premiums or discounts relate is repriced to market rates before the expected maturity of the instrument. In such a case, the appropriate amortisation period is the period to the next such repricing date. Same.
11.19 For variable rate financial assets and variable rate financial liabilities, periodic re-estimation of cash flows to reflect changes in market rates of interest alters the effective interest rate. If a variable rate financial asset or variable rate financial liability is recognised initially at an amount equal to the principal receivable or payable at maturity, re-estimating the future interest payments normally has no significant effect on the carrying amount of the asset or liability.  
11.20 If an entity revises its estimates of payments or receipts, the entity shall adjust the carrying amount of the financial asset or financial liability (or group of financial instruments) to reflect actual and revised estimated cash flows. The entity shall recalculate the carrying amount by computing the present value of estimated future cash flows at the financial instrument’s original effective interest rate. The entity shall recognise the adjustment as income or expense in profit or loss at the date of the revision. For financial assets, depending on the nature of the asset, changes may be reflected prospectively or retrospectively. None of the U.S. GAAP models are the equivalent of the IFRS SMEs cumulative-catch-up approach.
Impairment of financial instruments measured at cost or amortised cost
 Recognition
11.21 At the end of each reporting period, an entity shall assess whether there is objective evidence of impairment of any financial assets that are measured at cost or amortised cost. If there is objective evidence of impairment, the entity shall recognise an impairment loss in profit or loss immediately.
  • Unlike IFRS SMEs, there is not one model of assessing impairment of financial assets and not all financial instruments measured at cost or amortized cost must be assessed for impairment at each reporting date.
  • Under U.S. GAAP, there is also a concept of other-than-temporary impairment.
  • For debt securities, if the entity does not intend to sell the security and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis less any current-period credit loss, the amount of other-than-temporary impairment related to credit loss is recognized in earnings; the amount of other-than-temporary impairment related to other factors is recognized in OCI.
11.22 Objective evidence that a financial asset or group of assets is impaired includes observable data that come to the attention of the holder of the asset about the following loss events:
  1. significant financial difficulty of the issuer or obligor.
  2. a breach of contract, such as a default or delinquency in interest or principal payments.
  3. the creditor, for economic or legal reasons relating to the debtor’s financial difficulty, granting to the debtor a concession that the creditor would not otherwise consider.
  4. it has become probable that the debtor will enter bankruptcy or other financial reorganisation.
  5. observable data indicating that there has been a measurable decrease in the estimated future cash flows from a group of financial assets since the initial recognition of those assets, even though the decrease cannot yet be identified with the individual financial assets in the group, such as adverse national or local economic conditions or adverse changes in industry conditions.
 
11.23 Other factors may also be evidence of impairment, including significant changes with an adverse effect that have taken place in the technological, market, economic or legal environment in which the issuer operates.  
11.24 An entity shall assess the following financial assets individually for impairment:
  1. all equity instruments regardless of significance, and
  2. other financial assets that are individually significant.
An entity shall assess other financial assets for impairment either individually or grouped on the basis of similar credit risk characteristics.
 
 Measurement
11.25 An entity shall measure an impairment loss on the following instruments measured at cost or amortised cost as follows:
  1. for an instrument measured at amortised cost in accordance with paragraph 11.14(a), the impairment loss is the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the present value of estimated cash flows discounted at the asset’s original effective interest rate. If such a financial instrument has a variable interest rate, the discount rate for measuring any impairment loss is the current effective interest rate determined under the contract.
  2. for an instrument measured at cost less impairment in accordance with paragraph 11.14(b) and (c)(ii) the impairment loss is the difference between the asset’s carrying amount and the best estimate (which will necessarily be an approximation) of the amount (which might be zero) that the entity would receive for the asset if it were to be sold at the reporting date.
Unlike IFRS SMEs, impairment of loans may be measured based on the loan’s observable market price or the fair value of collateral if the loan is collateral dependent. Regardless of the measurement method, measurement musdt be based on the fair value of the collateral when the creditor determines that foreclosure is probable.
 Reversal
11.26 If, in a subsequent period, the amount of an impairment loss decreases and the decrease can be related objectively to an event occurring after the impairment was recognised (such as an improvement in the debtor’s credit rating), the entity shall reverse the previously recognised impairment loss either directly or by adjusting an allowance account. The reversal shall not result in a carrying amount of the financial asset (net of any allowance account) that exceeds what the carrying amount would have been had the impairment not previously been recognised. The entity shall recognise the amount of the reversal in profit or loss immediately. Impairment writedowns may not be reversed.
 Fair Value
11.27 Paragraph 11.14(c)(i) requires an investment in ordinary shares or preference shares to be measured at fair value if the fair value of the shares can be measured reliably. An entity shall use the following hierarchy to estimate the fair value of the shares:
  1. The best evidence of fair value is a quoted price for an identical asset in an active market. This is usually the current bid price.
  2. When quoted prices are unavailable, the price of a recent transaction for an identical asset provides evidence of fair value as long as there has not been a significant change in economic circumstances or a significant lapse of time since the transaction took place. If the entity can demonstrate that the last transaction price is not a good estimate of fair value (eg because it reflects the amount that an entity would receive or pay in a forced transaction, involuntary liquidation or distress sale), that price is adjusted.
  3. If the market for the asset is not active and recent transactions of an identical asset on their own are not a good estimate of fair value, an entity estimates the fair value by using a valuation technique. The objective of using a valuation technique is to estimate what the transaction price would have been on the measurement date in an arm’s length exchange motivated by normal business considerations.
Other sections of this IFRS make reference to the fair value guidance in paragraphs 11.27–11.32, including Section 12, Section 14, Section 15 and Section 16 Investment Property. In applying that guidance to assets covered by those sections, the reference to ordinary shares or preference shares in this paragraph should be read to include the types of assets covered by those sections.
Same.
 Valuation technique
11.28 Valuation techniques include using recent arm’s length market transactions for an identical asset between knowledgeable, willing parties, if available, reference to the current fair value of another asset that is substantially the same as the asset being measured, discounted cash flow analysis and option pricing models. If there is a valuation technique commonly used by market participants to price the asset and that technique has been demonstrated to provide reliable estimates of prices obtained in actual market transactions, the entity uses that technique.  
11.29 The objective of using a valuation technique is to establish what the transaction price would have been on the measurement date in an arm’s length exchange motivated by normal business considerations. Fair value is estimated on the basis of the results of a valuation technique that makes maximum use of market inputs, and relies as little as possible on entity-determined inputs. A valuation technique would be expected to arrive at a reliable estimate of the fair value if
  1. it reasonably reflects how the market could be expected to price the asset, and
  2. the inputs to the valuation technique reasonably represent market expectations and measures of the risk return factors inherent in the asset.
 
 No active market: equity instruments
11.30 The fair value of investments in assets that do not have a quoted market price in an active market is reliably measurable if
  1. the variability in the range of reasonable fair value estimates is not significant for that asset, or
  2. the probabilities of the various estimates within the range can be reasonably assessed and used in estimating fair value.
Not applicable, except in specialized industries.
11.31 There are many situations in which the variability in the range of reasonable fair value estimates of assets that do not have a quoted market price is likely not to be significant. Normally it is possible to estimate the fair value of an asset that an entity has acquired from an outside party. However, if the range of reasonable fair value estimates is significant and the probabilities of the various estimates cannot be reasonably assessed, an entity is precluded from measuring the asset at fair value.  
11.32 If a reliable measure of fair value is no longer available for an asset measured at fair value (eg an equity instrument measured at fair value through profit or loss), its carrying amount at the last date the asset was reliably measurable becomes its new cost. The entity shall measure the asset at this cost amount less impairment until a reliable measure of fair value becomes available. Not applicable.
Derecognition of a financial asset
11.33  An entity shall derecognise a financial asset only when:
  1. the contractual rights to the cash flows from the financial asset expire or are settled, or
  2. the entity transfers to another party substantially all of the risks and rewards of ownership of the financial asset, or
  3. the entity, despite having retained some significant risks and rewards of ownership, has transferred control of the asset to another party and the other party has the practical ability to sell the asset in its entirety to an unrelated third party and is able to exercise that ability unilaterally and without needing to impose additional restrictions on the transfer. In this case, the entity shall:
    1. derecognise the asset, and
    2. recognise separately any rights and obligations retained or created in the transfer.
The carrying amount of the transferred asset shall be allocated between the rights or obligations retained and those transferred on the basis of their relative fair values at the transfer date. Newly created rights and obligations shall be measured at their fair values at that date. Any difference between the consideration received and the amounts recognised and derecognised in accordance with this paragraph shall be recognised in profit or loss in the period of the transfer.
The derecognition model focuses on surrendering control over the transferred assets. Unlike IFRS SMEs, risks and rewards is not an explicit consideration when testing a transfer for derecognition, but rather derecognition is based on whether legal, actual, and effective control has been achieved.
11.34 If a transfer does not result in derecognition because the entity has retained significant risks and rewards of ownership of the transferred asset, the entity shall continue to recognise the transferred asset in its entirety and shall recognise a financial liability for the consideration received. The asset and liability shall not be offset. In subsequent periods, the entity shall recognise any income on the transferred asset and any expense incurred on the financial liability.  
11.35 If a transferor provides non-cash collateral (such as debt or equity instruments) to the transferee, the accounting for the collateral by the transferor and the transferee depends on whether the transferee has the right to sell or repledge the collateral and on whether the transferor has defaulted. The transferor and transferee shall account for the collateral as follows:
  1. If the transferee has the right by contract or custom to sell or repledge the collateral, the transferor shall reclassify that asset in its statement of financial position (eg as a loaned asset, pledged equity instruments or repurchase receivable) separately from other assets.
  2. If the transferee sells collateral pledged to it, it shall recognise the proceeds from the sale and a liability measured at fair value for its obligation to return the collateral.
  3. If the transferor defaults under the terms of the contract and is no longer entitled to redeem the collateral, it shall derecognise the collateral, and the transferee shall recognise the collateral as its asset initially measured at fair value or, if it has already sold the collateral, derecognise its obligation to return the collateral.
  4. Except as provided in (c), the transferor shall continue to carry the collateral as its asset, and the transferee shall not recognise the collateral as an asset.
Example – transfer that qualifies for derecognition

An entity sells a group of its accounts receivable to a bank at less than their face amount. The entity continues to handle collections from the debtors on behalf of the bank, including sending monthly statements, and the bank pays the entity a market-rate fee for servicing the receivables. The entity is obliged to remit promptly to the bank any and all amounts collected, but it has no obligation to the bank for slow payment or non-payment by the debtors.

In this case, the entity has transferred to the bank substantially all of the risks and rewards of ownership of the receivables. Accordingly, it removes the receivables from its statement of financial position (ie derecognises them), and it shows no liability in respect of the proceeds received from the bank. The entity recognises a loss calculated as the difference between the carrying amount of the receivables at the time of sale and the proceeds received from the bank. The entity recognises a liability to the extent that it has collected funds from the debtors but has not yet remitted them to the bank.

Example – transfer that does not qualify for derecognition

The facts are the same as the preceding example except that the entity has agreed to buy back from the bank any receivables for which the debtor is in arrears as to principal or interest for more than 120 days. In this case, the entity has retained the risk of slow payment or non-payment by the debtors—a significant risk with respect to receivables. Accordingly, the entity does not treat the receivables as having been sold to the bank, and it does not derecognise them. Instead, it treats the proceeds from the bank as a loan secured by the receivables. The entity continues to recognise the receivables as an asset until they are collected or written off as uncollectible.
 
 Derecognition of a financial liability
11.36 An entity shall derecognise a financial liability (or a part of a financial liability) only when it is extinguished—ie when the obligation specified in the contract is discharged, is cancelled or expires. Same.
11.37 If an existing borrower and lender exchange financial instruments with substantially different terms, the entities shall account for the transaction as an extinguishment of the original financial liability and the recognition of a new financial liability. Same.
11.37 Similarly, an entity shall account for a substantial modification of the terms of an existing financial liability or a part of it (whether or not attributable to the financial difficulty of the debtor) as an extinguishment of the original financial liability and the recognition of a new financial liability. Unlike IFRS SMEs, there are specific accounting requirements for troubled debt restructurings.
11.38 The entity shall recognise in profit or loss any difference between the carrying amount of the financial liability (or part of a financial liability) extinguished or transferred to another party and the consideration paid, including any non-cash assets transferred or liabilities assumed. In a troubled debt restructuring, if the debt has been restructured by modification of its terms, or by transferring assets or equity interests in partial settlement and modifying the remaining terms, no gain is recognized unless the total undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the debt. Interest expense is revised prospectively over the revised term of the debt.
Other Matters
 Defaults and breaches on loans payable
11.47 Debt covenant violations—Comment: IFRS SMEs requires disclosure of defaults and debt covenant violations, including whether the default or violation was remedied before the financial statements were authorized for issue. It is unclear, however, whether such disclosure is in addition to or in place of reclassification.

Par. 4.1 requires presentation of “an entity’s assets, liabilities, and equity as of a specific date—the end of the reporting period.” Thus, curing a debt covenant violation after the balance sheet date may not eliminate the need to reclassify the debt.
Debt covenant violations may be cured after the balance sheet date.